A bill placing sharp limits on the foreign ownership of Georgia farmland passed the State House by a vote of 97-67 Thursday. SB 420 would restrict certain nonresidents and business entities from purchasing farmland or land near military bases in Georgia. The bill now goes back to the Stae Senate for further consideration.
The bill specifies that certain individuals and business entities from a country “designated as a foreign adversary by the United States” would not be permitted to acquire “agricultural land or land within a ten-mile radius of any military base, military installation, or military airport.”
Presenting SB 420 on the House floor, State Representative David Clark (R-Buford) spoke of the “threats to our national security posed by foreign adversaries who are tampering with our food supply by owning our agriculture land.” Clark also explained that the “bill protects all immigrants who come here to pursue the American dream.” He said he “would not be up here supporting this bill if it discriminated against anyone.”
During the House floor session, House Majority Whip James Burchett (R–Waycross) stated that the bill was also a means “to address issues where foreign adversaries are coming to the state of Georgia to conduct nefarious activities such as surveillance on our military bases.”
Several Democrats objected to the bill. State Representative Michelle Au (D-Johns Creek) said that SB 420 would cause “prejudicial treatment of different categories of people” and went on to say that “there is a way to serve these goals of protecting our national security without writing blatantly discriminatory bills.”
State Representative Shea Roberts (D-Atlanta), Minority Caucus treasurer, stated, “There are lots of ways to accomplish national security, and frankly, this just doesn’t do it, and it’s illegal on its face.” Roberts also said such bills “do not represent the America I love and will not do what you intend, so please stop wasting our time and taxpayers money on these performative bills.”
State Representative Clay Pirkle (R-Ashburn), chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation and Infrastructure, affirmed his support of the proposed legislation and stated that the bill “does not impact anyone who is living here as long as they’re not an agent of a country that is openly hostile to the United States.”
Clay also said the bill “is about protecting national security and our nation’s food supply,” yet it “ensures those who wish to come here legally and pursue the American dream can do so.”
State Representative Martin Momtahan (R-Dallas) also spoke in favor of the measure and said China was “the number one national security threat to this country.” He explained that the “bill is not about xenophobia or racism” and that “when it comes to the national security of this country” and “when it comes to the safety of our families, the business interest of our business community, we must act.”
Previously, the bill’s sponsor, State Senator Jason Anavitarte (R-Dallas), said in a recent post on Twitter (X), “Agriculture is the backbone of our nation, and the ownership of farmland holds significant economic and strategic importance. As we witness an increasing trend of Chinese entities acquiring US agricultural land, it’s imperative that we examine the implications and take proactive measures to safeguard our national interests.”
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Debra McClure is a reporter at The Georgia Star News and The Star News Network. Follow Debra on X / Twitter.
